


Rosy Cheeks

by blueboxesandtrafficcones



Series: 31 Days of Ficmas 2017 [20]
Category: Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (1963), Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alien Planet, F/M, Ice Skating, Multi-Doctor, Multi-Era
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-22
Updated: 2017-12-22
Packaged: 2019-02-18 15:51:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13103487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blueboxesandtrafficcones/pseuds/blueboxesandtrafficcones
Summary: The Doctor watches as his wife and daughter skate.  As always, they quickly make friends - but it turns out, they may be closer than they know.





	Rosy Cheeks

**Author's Note:**

> Day 20 of 31 Days of Ficmas! Today - rosy cheeks.

The Doctor leaned against the rink wall watching as Rose and Jenny skated.  They’d not been on the ice five minutes when they’d found two other women to skate with, and the four were having what appeared to be a grand old time.

Rose caught him watching and broke from the group to skate over to him.  “Having fun?”  She leaned across the low barrier to kiss him.

“Better than the last time,” he rolled his eyes.  He may have regenerated since, but his dignity insisted he not try again.  “Making friends?”

“Yep.”  She popped the word as always, making him give a rare smile.

“Go, have fun.  Don’t worry about me.”

“Okay,” she agreed easily, looking over his shoulder.  “Oh look, here comes another grouchy old guy – you can be grouchy together.”  With that she skated off, laughing over the bond at his instant complaining.

Still grumbling, he turned to give the man Rose referenced a glare to discourage any attempts at conversation and felt his hearts stop.

It was him.

Hearts starting again painfully, he turned to the dark-haired teen currently spinning in circles with Jenny.  No wonder she reminded him of Susan; she _was_ Susan.

“Any particular reason you’re staring at my granddaughter?”  His first incarnation snarked, and he rolled his eyes.  If Rose thought _this_ him was an insufferable, grumpy know-it-all…

“Actually, I’m staring at _my_ granddaughter,” he hinted, but it seemed to go over the younger man’s head.

“Ah, the blondes?”  He nodded approvingly.  “Granddaughters are wonderful, aren’t they?”

The fondness in his tone tugged at the Doctor’s heartstrings, missing her as he hadn’t in centuries.  “Yes,” he said softly.  “And you should treasure yours while you have her.”

The younger Doctor turned to him with a suspicious look.  “What does that mean?  What do you know?”

“Nothing,” he murmured, seeing the timelines glitter just out of sight.  “Just a passing thought.”

The original Doctor harrumphed but before he could reply, they were interrupted by – Chesserman?  Chatterton? 

“Here you are, old man.  Girls all right?”

Chesterton!

“Yes?”  The young man looked startled, and the Doctor realized he’d said it out loud.

He opened his mouth, fumbling for a reply.

“Hello,” Rose appeared out of nowhere, extending her hand.  “I’m Rose, and you are?”

“Ian, this here’s the Doctor,” Chesterton introduced, still watching the older Doctor out of the corner of his eye.  “That’s Susan and Barbara you’re skating with.  They’re with us.”

“Oh, are you family?”  She asked innocently, biting her lip to hide a smile when Ian said _yes_ the same time the younger Doctor said _no_.  “Okay, then.”

The young Doctor sniffed, turning to his companion.  Before he could argue, however, Ian held up a hand and rolled his eyes.

“I know, superior species, et cetera et cetera.  I think after all we’ve been through it’s safe to say we’re something of a family.”

“Oh, I agree!”  Susan skated up, Barbara and Jenny right behind.  “Don’t you, grandfather?”

Rose smiled at how the prickly personalities of both incarnations of the Doctor melted at the sight of the girl’s grin.

“Oh, I suppose,” he sighed with obviously faked reluctance.

Beside Rose, Jenny’s brow furrowed as she looked between her father and the strange man, but before she could ask Rose silenced her with a tap against her arm.  “It’s been lovely getting to know you all, but I’m afraid we’ve got to be going.  Right, dear?”

He looked ready to argue, but they both knew the truth – if he stayed any longer, he’d never be able to leave Susan.

“Yes, dear.”  With a last lingering look at his granddaughter he turned and strode away.  Something in the way he moved brought a spark of light to the remaining Doctor’s eyes.

“Is he…” he trailed off to stare disbelievingly at Rose.

“Yep!”  She popped the word cheerfully.

“And you…”

“Uh huh.”  Rose smirked at him, enjoying his rosy cheeks and wide eyes as he looked her over.  His jaw dropped, a little, and he stammered.

“I- well- I- it’s just- really?”  The flabbergasted look on his face made her crack up.

“Really.”  Leaning forward, she pressed a firm kiss to his cheek.  “Bye, Doctor.  Ian, Barbara, nice to meet you.  Susan – you mean the absolute world to him, even when he’s an idiot.  Especially when he’s an idiot.  Don’t ever forget that.”  With a nod and a wave she marched after her husband, pulling a spluttering Jenny behind her.

“That was Dad?”  She clarified once they were out of earshot.

“And Susan,” Rose confirmed as they stomped into the TARDIS.

“Blimey!”

Once in the console room the girls separated, and Rose headed for their bedroom.

“Love?” she called as she walked in, only to find him sitting on the end of the bed.

“Hi,” he spun his wedding ring around his finger, lost in thought.

“All right?”

“Yeah,” he exhaled, looking up at her.  “Did you know-”

“No,” Rose shook her head.  “I wouldn’t spring something like that on you.  The TARDIS, however…”

He smiled wryly.  “She would.”

Rose came over to stand in front of him, resting her hands on his knees.  “She seemed lovely.”

“She was,” he sighed, staring over her shoulder.  “So young, and happy.  Full of life.  Jenny reminds me of her, sometimes.”

Then his gaze broke, and he turned his attention to her.  “Enough about the past.  Let’s talk about the present – you look gorgeous.”

She threw her head back, laughing.  “Liar.  I’m freezing, and I must be red as a tomato.”

“No,” he brought his hands to her hips.  “You’re gorgeous.  Bright eyes, rosy cheeks.”

Rose leaned down to kiss him sweetly.  “Love you.”

“Do you really?”  He didn’t mean for it to, but it slipped out anyway.

“Course.  Whether you’re old and grumpy and tired of the world, or young and grumpy and desperate to seem more important than you think you are.  My Doctor.”

Despite the centuries since Bad Wolf’s birth the words still send a shiver down his spine, especially backlit as she was by the fire in the fireplace.  “My Rose.”

“Forever,” she promised with a smile.  When she caught the direction his thoughts had gone, she laughed again.  “Are you sure you’re up for that?”

“Are you?”  He challenged back.

Stepping back from him, she slowly began to strip off her outerwear.  “Why don’t you find out?”

Her cheeks were still rosy an hour later, but by that point it had nothing to do with the cold.


End file.
